Katie Machin
AMA Student Award 2015
NHULUNBUY, East Arnhem Land
At the beginning of 2015 I undertook a 3 month placement in Nhulunbuy, East Arnhem
Land. The time was divided into 6 weeks working in general practice and 6 weeks in the
Gove District Hospital (GDH). The AMA bursary was a great help in contributing to my
living expenses and allowing me to more freely participate in the community and support
local industry.
Having never visited the Arnhem Region previously, my time there was a great learning
experience professionally and personally. At GDH I worked in all wards and felt a part of
the greater healthcare team. The staff was a cohesive and genuinely caring asset to the
region, and a great privilege to work with. As the only hospital in the area, GDH saw a vast
range of presentations, from trauma to chronic disease, and included a busy maternity
ward. The GPs who ran the hospital and worked with visiting specialists, as well as
coordinated joint care and evacuations to Royal Darwin Hospital, were a great source of
inspiration to me. My interest in pursuing a career in remote general practice was only
solidified by my time working in Nhulunbuy.
The other half of my placement, working in private general practice and 3 Aboriginal
community controlled health clinics, allowed me to gain a greater understanding of the
local communities and experience a varied primary health caseload. This included tropical
disease, workplace medicals, and early childhood health. In particular I enjoyed travelling
to Yirrkala and Gunyangara, learning some of the history and culture of these places and
the Yolŋu people, and exploring the art centre, beaches, and islands of the peninsula. I
was working at the hospital during two cyclones and saw the strength of this small
population as services and individuals came together to minimize potential harm.
Thankfully neither cyclone passed directly over us and damage was limited.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Nhulunbuy and the surrounds, and would recommend this
placement to other medical students. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to visit and
work in such a remote and unique part of Australia, and would definitely like to spend
longer there at some point in the future. I think the richness of experience gained from
remote placements is invaluable and this award is a great initiative to help students
achieve and enjoy such ambitions.